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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · ball · nail · squash · bowl · fan · fine · ruler

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a great time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fine — all right
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — the most important part
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. key — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com